Reflection
by Yui Miyamoto
Summary: This is a short fic with a soft touch...Ranma and I are talking by the side of koi pond on the night of a full moon.A distant childhood memory is shared.And by the end of the night, our reflections in the water emerged into one.


7/22/2000 10:58:16 PM 

Disclaimer -All things related to Ranma Nibunnoichi are held to the one and only Rumiko Takahashi and other companies associated with it.^_^ 

Reflection – by Yui Miyamoto 

The koi pond was very beautiful at this time of night.For once, the house was quite homely.I sat at the edge of the koi pond as the rest of my family was in the den talking. 

"Don't you want to spend time with us, Akane?" my father called out to me. 

I turned my head and smiled."No, that's okay." 

Through the loud whispers, Ranma's protruded, "But I didn't do nuthin'.Honest!" 

But in a few seconds, I heard the grass crunch beneath his footsteps.Except, his footsteps felt like they were struggling.I could feel the hesistant emotions radiating from his body. 

He stopped two feet in back of me."Akane." 

"Yeah?What?"I continued to look at the moon's reflection from the koi pond. 

"Whatcha doin'?"His body was swinging backwards, then forwards like a child's while waiting for something impatiently. 

"I'm just looking at the koi pond," I reply softly."My mom used to sit me on her lap and we would look at the koi pond together at night.On a clear night just like this one." 

"Oh…"The swinging stopped and he sat next a few feet away from me."Your mom used to do that?" 

"Yeah."I looked at him and smiled."Didn't you do that with your mom, Ranma?" 

"Naw.I was always training."He looked at the koi pond aimlessly. 

I glanced at him.A soft look was upon his visage as he looked at the water. 

"Not even once?Come on."I couldn't believe that even someone like Ranma couldn't have had some sentimental moment with his mom.I cherish my own.This very memory. 

"Well…Aw man!"He threw a pebble into the water."This is stupid!" 

"You think my feelings are stupid?" I snapped.My eyes darted into his direction. 

"No, Akane!You've got it all wrong!" 

"Well, what is it?!" 

"You know I'm no good at these types of things, Akane!" 

"I know you aren't."Then, I sighed half in frustration and half in relief.But, then I looked at the koi pond again."But if you have something to say, Ranma.Just say it.You don't have to be afraid." 

"I'm not afraid!"Then, he became quiet and fidgeted with his fingers. 

After a long silence, he whispered, "Yeah, I-I can remember one time." 

"Can you share that story with me?" 

"Yeah, I guess.It isn't much though, but ok."He sat back and began to tell his story. "I was about 3 or 4, then. My mother went to this Chinese clothing shop.You know how she wanted me to be 'a man amongst men'?Well, that explains why she never held my hand…" 

* flashback from Ranma's point of view* 

"Ranma, if you're going to be man, you shouldn't hold onto me," Mommy said to me as she looked down at me with a smile. 

"Okay."I frowned as I looked at other kids going around the shops in town.Their mom always held their hand.But my mommy wanted me not to hold onto her.I was a big enough boy to walk by myself. 

There was that Chinese shop again.And my mom stood outside the door.She looked at me."We're going inside, Ranma." 

"K, mommy."I walked in front of her as she opened the door. 

We walked through the store.I ran off to where there were clothes that looked my size.Then, I came back to my mom and tugged on her kimono to let her know that I was back next to her.She looked down at me and still smiled."Ah…" 

Without me saying anything, my mom bought the red shirt that I had stared at. 

Later, she gave it to me and said, "This is yours, Ranma…" 

* end of flashback * 

I giggled as I saw Ranma begin to smile while looking down at his hands."So ever since, I've worn nothing but red, Chinese shirts.I mean, how did she know that I loved that shirt when I didn't even tell her?She didn't even see me staring at it." 

"That's a mom for you."I placed my hand in the water and began to wave it back and forth.I laughed to myself."You always find me staring at my reflection in the koi pond because…" 

I looked at him with tears in my eyes, but still with lips curved upward."My mom said I looked the most like her." 

That's when I wiped my tears away."So, whenever I feel that I'm losing my memory of what she looks like, I just look at my reflection.Here, in the koi pond." 

"Akane…" Ranma murmured. 

"Hey are you guys ever going to come back here?!" Mr. Saotome shouted. 

"Yeah!"I got up.With one look at the koi pond, I turned to Ranma."Come on, Ranma." 

I ran inside without waiting for an answer. 

Later that night, I passed by the den to go to bed like everyone else when I saw that Ranma was now the one sitting by the koi pond.Slowly, I walked over to him. 

"It's already late.Come on, go to bed." 

But he didn't budge.He just sat there cross-legged while looking down at his own reflection on the surface of the water. The untouched water surface now had ripples. 

I looked at Ranma.A single tear had ruined the confident visage on the water's surface and it became wavy and indistinguishable. 

Without saying a word, I kneeled behind him and wrapped my arms around him while burying my face in his hair.I kissed the back of his head and again buried my face in his hair.We…are alike… 

I understand. 

You don't have to say it aloud to me, Ranma... 

…Not anymore. 

-- 

Author's note:I had originally planned to do something else, but I'm glad at the result of this.I just wanted more character development for Ranma and Akane and within their relationship. 

I haven't written a fanfic in such a long time, but I really enjoyed making this one.It's soft.And I'm glad that I got Ranma and Akane closer together from another angle other than love for each other.^_^ 

But, as always, I would like to hear from you!I'd really love to hear what you think. 

Just please write to reiakane_enju@yahoo.com 

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Description: 

This is a short fic with a soft touch… 

Ranma and I are talking by the side of koi pond on the night of a full moon.A distant childhood memory is shared.And by the end of the night, our reflections in the water emerged into one. 

(Note to Noriko-kun:If you read this, please reply to me because this fic is dedicated to you…) 

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